Monthly Archive

Back in June, the New Jersey Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill to prohibit the slaughter, transport, and sale of horses for human consumption within the state. Unfortunately, Governor Chris Christie has not yet signed the bill into law, and it’s not clear that he intends to.

With the clock ticking, several prominent New Jersey horse owners, equestrians and animal advocates, including Jessica Springsteen—daughter of Bruce—have sent a letter to Governor Chris Christie urging him to approve the horse slaughter ban. Christie is famously a huge Bruce Springsteen fan: Will a direct plea from The Boss’s daughter move him to finally act?

Americans don’t eat horse meat (it is shipped overseas), and 80% of American voters are opposed to the slaughter of U.S. horses for human consumption. What are you waiting for, Governor Christie?

See our latest press release to read a portion of the letter to the governor and learn more about New Jersey’s pending horse slaughter ban. And if you live in New Jersey, we urge you to send your own letter to the governor—visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to get started!

APSCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents are investigating the deaths of several dogs that became violently ill in July after visiting Riverside Park in upper Manhattan. The animals’ guardians suspect the dogs were victims of intentional poisoning.

We are working to determine the cause of these dogs’ tragic endings. If you have any information related to this case, please contact the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4450.

Please stay tuned to ASPCA.org for more information about this developing case.

Does your local pet store help perpetuate animal cruelty? The sad reality is…many do. You see, most puppies sold in pet store come from puppy mills. So if your pet store has a slew of roly-poly pups for sale, chances are it supports a very cruel industry. To make matters worse, by giving stores that sell puppies your business, you’re actually supporting puppy mills, too!

Two years ago, Penguin Group USA published The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption, an in-depth look behind the scenes of the Michael Vick dog-fighting case and “where are they now” account of the dogs rescued from his property. The book was a hit, becoming a New York Times bestseller—and we especially loved it for the way it portrayed Vick’s Pit Bull victims as the sweet, heroic dogs they truly are.

Now, Lost Dogs author Jim Gorant has a new book out: Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls—One Flying Disc at a Time. Like its predecessor, this compelling book tackles the pervasive myth that Pits are troubled dogs by telling the rags-to-riches tale of Wallace, a shelter dog on death row who beat the odds to become a champion in the sport of canine disc.

Pick up a copy of Wallace for yourself or the animal lover in your life! (Tip: If you order the book on Amazon.com using this link, the ASPCA will receive a small donation at no extra cost to you!)

To learn more about the book and see videos of high-flying Wallace in action, please visit Jim Gorant’s website, www.wallacethebook.com.

In June, we told you about a dog fighting bust the ASPCA and New York Police Department conducted in the Bronx. Today, we’re happy to share some good news: 26 of the dogs have found placements with rescue groups, and another seven of them have placements in the works! We’re hoping continued rehabilitation and forever homes are just around the corner.

Partners that have embraced these canine survivors include St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey; Charles Henderson Animal Rescue in Brooklyn, New York; Columbia Greene Humane Society in Hudson, New York, and Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford. Some dogs have also been transferred to the ASPCA’s Adoption Center in Manhattan.

These dogs’ lives are already so different from the ones they led just a few short months ago. On June 21, we found them living in the windowless basement of a six-story apartment building with a makeshift fighting arena.Also discovered on scene were a loaded .25-caliber handgun, U.S. currency and other equipment associated with dog fighting—including dog treadmills, harnesses, muzzles, syringes and a shopping cart full of raw chicken parts.

For more than two months, ASPCA responders cared for and provided the dogs with extensive socialization, a healthy diet, medical care and exercise at a temporary shelter. Each dog was carefully evaluated by a team of animal behavior professionals prior to being transferred to the rescue groups.

While the majority of the dogs in this case may be rehabilitated, some were far too dangerous for placement. These dogs were victims of the brutalities of dog fighting—bred over generations to exhibit aggression, trained to fight with lethal intent, subjected to a life of inhumane treatment and, as a result, displayed highly aggressive behavior. After extensive evaluations, all decisions to euthanize were based on recommendations of multiple behavior professionals who weighed in objectively and independently, with the best interest of each individual animal in mind.

The dogs’ owner, Raul Sanchez of the Bronx, was arrested during the raid and arraigned on 63 counts of animal fighting, six counts of aggravated animal cruelty, six counts of animal cruelty, and one count of criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted, he faces up to four years in jail.

The ASPCA’s Legal Advocacy team is providing support to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office in this case.